Teenager Critically Injured in Hit-and-Run Accident

By John Bisnar

A 17-year-old girl was severely injured in a San Bernardino motorcycle accident involving a hit-and-run driver, the night of March 13, 2012. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the hit-and-run car accident occurred at the intersection of E Street and 31st Street in San Bernardino. Officials say the girl was skateboarding across the street when a motorcycle traveling between 65 and 70 mph struck her. She suffered critical injuries in the collision and is currently on a respirator. Investigators are searching for the Japanese sports bike involved in the incident.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of the 17-year-old girl who has been seriously injured in this hit-and-run accident. I wish her the very best for a complete and speedy recovery. Please keep her in your prayers.San Bernardino Motorcycle Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), three people were killed and 94 were injured in San Bernardino pedestrian accidents. During that same year, 39 fatalities and 440 injuries occurred due to San Bernardino County pedestrian accidents.

Leaving the Scene of a Crash

It is not clear from the report exactly how this accident occurred or why the driver was unable to avoid the collision. What is clear is that the motorcyclist struck the teenager and then left her lying on the roadway with critical injuries. Unconscionable! Under the law, motorists are required to stop immediately, remain at the scene of the crash and most importantly, help the injured victims. However, in this case, the motorcyclist made a choice to leave this injured girl lying on the roadway, exposed to further danger.

California Vehicle Code Section 20001 (a) states: “The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to a person, other than himself or herself, or in the death of a person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident.”

Holding At-Fault Drivers Accountable

Officials are searching for the driver and motorcycle involved in this crash. If you have any information about this accident, please visit our web site, www.hitandrunreward.com. Our site allows witnesses to provide an anonymous tip and become eligible to receive a $1,000 reward.

Victims of hit-and-run accidents or their families would be well advised to contact an experienced San Bernardino personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. A skilled car accident attorney will better inform families in such cases about how their own auto insurance policy applies to an incident where the suspect is not found, or, in a crash where the at-fault motorist is uninsured or underinsured.

Disclaimer: Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys provides the California Injury Blog as a public service for general information only. It is not a substitute for legal advice. No person should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information contained in this blog. The material on this blog is not intended as legal advice and is not a substitute for a consultation with an attorney. The best personal injury law firms offer free consultations. Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys and all contributing authors expressly disclaim all liability to any person with respect to the contents of this website, and with respect to any act or failure to act made on reliance on any material contained herein.